Astringent / Alcohol Taste

[sub82]

Really not sure Will - can't have been too bad if I went for it (homebrewers frugality and all that).

Think I got them on ebay - this looks like them:

Beer Acid Test Strips - ph 4.6 to 6.2

[Will_D]

To sumarise:

At the end of the day clean you equipment with W5 or a similar cleaner and any physical means needed like brass chain.

To store stuff add 500 ml of water or so and two campden tabs and close up the lids/put cork in demi john

When its time to use:
Carefully smell the container to make sure you remembered the 2 CTs ( )

Then drain, rinse with clean tap water (twice) and then spray or add starsan and swirl and twirl.

Drain and you are ready to go!

NOTE: Starsan is not a long term sanitiser - after a few week it looses its eficacy and tings start growing - How do I know 

[mr hoppy]

My starsan is good in a sealed container of water for ages, but my water is very soft

[mcgrath]

My starsan is good in a sealed container of water for ages, but my water is very soft

Was under impression if ph stays constant starsan is still ok?

[mr hoppy]

I didn't know that. I was told before on here that it was down to the soft water.

[Will_D]

My starsan is good in a sealed container of water for ages, but my water is very soft

Was under impression if ph stays constant starsan is still ok?

I am not talking about bulk diluted SS.

I am talking of leaving 500 ml in a 30 L fermenter!

[DEMPSEY]

Soft water has less buffering minerals to resist lowering the ph and its the low ph that's what make it a bug killer.

[wallacebiy]

I reckon you might need to up the temps on your sparge mid 70's is a little low .

Also Is it an astringent or an alcohol taste ?
I find those both very different and not normally related ,
Astringency I normally find comes from incomplete conversion of the starches , whereas an alcohol taste normally is a sign of a need for longer conditioning ( unless it's more like medicinal alcohol , which is usually a remnant of a bleach sanitiser like Milton )

Change one thing and see if it knocks the flavour out